Holiday Itinerary

Day 1: Rendezvous at the group hotel in Kathmandu. Complimentary airport transfers are provided. KE Land Only package services begin with the evening meal.

Day 2: An early start for the dramatic flight through the mountains to Lukla. After lunch we have a short trek to our first night's halt and lodge at Phakding (2610m). Walk distance 9.57 km, with approx. 630 metres of descent and 400 metres of ascent. 3 - 4 hours.

Day 3: Following the Dudh Kosi Valley upstream, we cross and re-cross the river before making a final steep climb to the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar (3440m). Walk distance 10.19 km, with 1148 metres of ascent and 398 metres of descent. 6 hours.

Day 4: Acclimatisation around Namche. Hiking options include a short, steep climb to the Museum of Sherpa Culture, or a longer day visiting the Sherpa town of Thame. We spend a second night at our lodge in Namche.

Day 5: Today, we trek via the Sherpa villages of Kumjung and Kunde to Kangjuma (3620m). An easier option is to take the contour trail which avoids the climb to Kunde and Kumjung. Overnight in Kangjuma. Walk distance 6.77 km, with 695 metres of ascent and 543 metres of descent. 6 hours.

Day 6: Crossing the Mon La (3900m) we enter the Gokyo Valley which is the main drainage for the glaciers clinging to the flanks of the 8000 metre peak, Cho Oyu. We trek as far as Dole (4050m) and check in at our lodge accommodation. Walk distance 8.28 km, with approx. 1300 metres of ascent and 900 metres of descent. 7 hours.

Day 7: The trail climbs steadily up valley across a forested hillside and through open pasture. There are several refreshment halts en route to our next lodge at Machermo (4465m). Walk distance 5.17 km, with 567 metres of ascent and 196 metres of descent. 4 hours.

Day 8: We spend an acclimatisation day at Machermo. It is possible to climb quite high on the nearby ridge for magnificent views of Everest and Makalu.

Day 9: Today we climb past the first and second of Gokyo's five lakes to reach our lodge located on the shore of the third and biggest lake at an altitude of approximately 4800 metres. Walk distance 7.16 km, with 573 metres of ascent and 206 metres of descent. 4 - 5 hours.

Day 10: We have an early start for the short ascent of Gokyo Ri (5360m), then descend to the lodge for a late breakfast, before trekking across the Ngozumba Glacier to Dragnag (4700m). Walk distance (without Gokyo Ri) 5.8 km, with 427 metres of ascent and 514 metres of descent. 4 hours.

Day 11: A big day crossing the snow-covered pass of the Cho La (5420m). Beyond the pass, we descend to the yak grazing area of Dzongla (4830m) where we check in at our lodge accommodation. Walk distance 8.58 km, with 926 metres of ascent and 839 metres of descent. 7 - 9 hours.

Day 12: We descend to join the main Everest Basecamp track at Lobuche Village. From here, we ascend the ablation valley beside the Khumbu Glacier to reach Gorak Shep (5140m). Walk distance 11.94 km, with 862 metres of ascent and 547 metres of descent. 7 - 8 hours.

Day 13: Today we reach Everest Basecamp, firstly on moraine, then on the Khumbu Glacier itself. We retrace our steps to Gorak Shep and spend a second night at our lodge there. Walk distance (round trip) 6.89 km, with 174 metres of ascent and descent. 5 - 6 hours.

Day 14: Our camp is at the foot of Kala Patar (5500m) and we make an early morning ascent of this classic Everest viewpoint. Afterwards, we descend to Pheriche (4270m). Walk distance 16.05 km, with 495 metres of ascent and 1395 metres of descent. 7 - 8 hours.

Day 15: Our return trek follows the main Everest Trail via Pangboche to Thyangboche where we visit the monastery. After lunch we descend to the Imja Khola before a final steep climb to Kangjuma. Walk distance 15.33 km, with 775 metres of ascent and 1485 metres of descent. 7 - 8 hours.

Day 16: From Kangjuma we have an easy morning's walk to Namche where we have time for some souvenir buying and lunch before a steep descent and final short climb takes us to Monjo. Walk distance 10.06 km, with 471 metres of ascent and 1278 metres of descent. 6 hours.

Day 17: Mostly downhill today following the fall of the Dudh Kosi River, but there's a sting in the tail as we make the final short climb to our lodge in Lukla. Walk distance 13.23 km, with 665 metres of ascent and 580 metres of descent. 5 hours.

Day 18: Taking a morning flight to Kathmandu, we will have plenty of time after lunch for further sightseeing or shopping. Overnight at our Kathmandu hotel.

Day 19: This is a spare day in case of delays with flights from Lukla. A guided sightseeing tour of the city's main attractions is provided and this will include some of the city's colourful Buddhist shrines and Hindu temples. We spend a final night at the group hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 20: KE Land Only package services end after breakfast. Complimentary airport transfers are provided.

Altitude

This holiday involves going to very high altitude. During the course of your trip you will be spending at least one night above 4000 metres and/or trekking to 5000 metres or above. This is not something that you should worry about; the human body is quite capable of adapting to a very wide range of altitudes, but it is important that we follow some simple rules in order to acclimatise successfully. Before coming on this holiday you should read the advice on trekking at high altitude.

GPS Trip Data

Click on the link below to view the detailed stats for this holiday via Garmin Connect. Tracked using a Garmin etrex20 you can see detailed mapping of the route, daily distances travelled, the total ascent and descent each day and maximum altitude.